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Kankakee County, Illinois
Kankakee County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. As of 2000, the population was 103,833. Its county seat is Kankakee, Illinois . The Kankakee-Bradley Metropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Kankakee County. The county is also part of the larger Chicago–Naperville–Michigan City, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area. Geography According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of , of which (or 99.31%) is land and (or 0.69%) is water. Major highways Adjacent counties *Will County - north *Lake County, Indiana - northeast *Newton County, Indiana - east *Iroquois County - south *Ford County - southwest *Livingston County - southwest *Grundy County - northwest Demographics As of the census of 2000, there were 103,833 people, 38,182 households, and 26,765 families residing in the county. The population density was 153 people per square mile (59/km²). There were 40,610 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile (23/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 79.89% White, 15.47% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.68% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 2.38% from other races, and 1.38% from two or more races. 4.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 21.3% were of German, 9.9% Irish, 8.7% French, 6.6% American and 5.4% English ancestry according to Census 2000. 94.1% spoke English and 4.3% Spanish as their first language. There were 38,182 households out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.80% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.90% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.61 and the average family size was 3.12. In the county the population was spread out with 27.10% under the age of 18, 9.70% from 18 to 24, 28.20% from 25 to 44, 22.00% from 45 to 64, and 13.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $41,532, and the median income for a family was $48,975. Males had a median income of $37,776 versus $25,287 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,055. About 8.70% of families and 11.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.60% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those age 65 or over. Politics Kankakee County is considered a swing county. In the 2008 Presidential Election Kankakee County voted 52% in favor of Illinois native Barack Obama (D), 47% for John McCain ®. In the 2004 Presidential Election, Kankakee County voted 55% in favor of George Bush ® and 44% for John Kerry (D). Kankakee County is in Illinois's 11th congressional district, represented by Republican Adam Kinzinger (R-Manteno). TKankakee County has produced three governors: Len Small ®, Samuel Shapiro (D), and George H. Ryan ®. History Settlers came to Kankakee County in 1834, after the federal government signed the Treaty of Camp Tippecanoe in 1832. As word spread about the government acquiring the land, many immigrants of New York and Vermont moved their way west, mostly locating in Momence, Illinois. An act of the Illinois Legislature created Kankakee County out of the north part of Iroquois County and the south part of Will County on February 11, 1853. The six original townships were: Yellowhead, Rockville, Bourbonnais, Momence, Aroma Park, and Limestone. The population of the new county was about 8,000. It wasn’t until 1855 that the two western townships of Norton and Essex were taken from Vermilion County and added to Kankakee County. The County was named for the Kankakee River. File:Kankakee County Illinois 1853.png|Kankakee County at the time of its creation in 1853 Townships Kankakee County is divided into seventeen townships: Cities and Towns Cities *Kankakee *Momence Villages Unincorporated places *Pembroke *Sollitt *Yeager *Pewing Climate and weather }} In recent years, average temperatures in the county seat of Kankakee have ranged from a low of in January to a high of in July, although a record low of was recorded in January 1985 and a record high of was recorded in August 1988. Average monthly precipitation ranged from in February to in May. See also *National Register of Historic Places listings in Kankakee County, Illinois References * External links * Official website Category:Counties of Illinois Category:Established in 1853 Category:Kankakee County, Illinois